Ebonyi PDP caucus disowns Umahi, says his defection unwise

The Ebonyi State caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has disowned the decision of Governor Dave Umahi to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Briefing reporters in Abuja, the federal lawmakers from both chambers of the National Assembly from Ebonyi State, led by Senator Sam Egwu, said Governor Umahi acted alone and that no single federal lawmaker followed him in his political voyage to the APC.

According to Egwu, the lawmakers are proud and loyal members of the PDP.

The Ebonyi State Governor formally abandoned the PDP yesterday, accusing it of not being fair in its power-sharing and rotation arrangement to the Southeast.

Egwu said no one should be more grateful to the PDP than Umahi who has held and enjoyed the benefits of different plum positions including serving as State Chairman, Deputy Governor and Governor.

He further stated that though the caucus recognizes Governor Umahi’s rights and liberty to join any political party of his choice and supports the aspiration of the Igbo presidency, it considers it inappropriate to give conditions.

“While we support that it is the turn of the southeast to fly the Presidential flag of any of the major political parties come 2023, yet we consider it impolitic, indecent, and unwise to give ultimatums and conditionalities in a bid to secure zoning.”

The group, however, faulted Umahi’s migration from the PDP to the APC on the grounds that there was no division in the party.

“As democrats, we concede Umahi’s right to join any political association of his choice. However, as federal lawmakers, we are not unaware of the Supreme Court decision that candidates are products of political parties. What it means is that political office holders are not at liberty to migrate from one political platform to another, particularly when there is no division in their party,” Egwu said.

Another member of the caucus, Senator Obinna Ogba, said the exit of Umahi from the PDP in Ebonyi State will not in any way affect the political fortunes of the party in the state.

He said even though he cannot conclude that Umahi had committed “political suicide”, his exit will not create any vacuum in the PDP.